In 2025, the number of complaints increased by 17% compared to the previous year, reaching 5,837 cases, while the percentage of cases resolved amicably, on the other hand, fell by nearly half—to 7.8%. According to experts at the European Consumer Center (ECC Moldova), citizens still have limited access to a quick and free means of redress, and the rare instances of settlement occur spontaneously, outside the legal framework.
The situation is exacerbated by legislative provisions that, starting in 2028, will require consumers to pay a fee of 630 lei for an informational mediation session in civil disputes. This financial barrier risks making it economically unfeasible to recover damages in small consumer claims.
In this context, ECC Moldova proposes a series of recommendations, divided into short-, medium-, and long-term perspectives, to launch a fully-fledged SAL mechanism.
In the short term, it is proposed that the government adopt a resolution establishing an SAL body under the State Inspectorate for the Supervision of Non-Food Products and Consumer Protection (ISSPNPC), the exemption of consumer disputes from mandatory mediation fees, and the implementation of a system whereby businesses’ good-faith participation in dispute resolution (SAL) is considered a risk-mitigation factor during government inspections.
In the medium term, it is recommended to launch the SAL procedure in a digital format, bring national legislation into full compliance with the EU Directive on Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes, and develop a sustainable funding model for non-governmental organizations.
In the long term, plans include expanding the SAL framework at the sectoral level and integrating a mechanism for cross-border disputes, with the ultimate goal of providing consumers with a free, fast, and predictable means of protecting their rights.
“The SAL mechanism is not merely a complex legal construct designed to meet EU standards. At its core, it is a promise that a person who has purchased a defective product can obtain a resolution within three months—free of charge, without a lawyer, and without having to waive their rights. The Republic of Moldova made this commitment at the legislative level back in February 2024. All that remains is to fulfill it, and the necessary steps—as we have sought to demonstrate—are well-known, have been tested by other countries, and are fully within the reach of national institutions,” — according to the analytical note “Mechanism for Out-of-Court Resolution of Consumer Disputes in the Republic of Moldova: From a Formal Legal Framework to Effective Implementation.”
